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Tuesday, 8 September 2015

What to Expect from Kate's Autumn Schedule & Other Updates

Hello to you all, we hope your week is off to a wonderful start!

Today we're focusing on the Duchess of Cambridge's autumn schedule and what we can expect to see over the next few months. Several very interesting articles have emerged sharing details on future engagements and events the Cambridges plan to support.

'The Duchess of Cambridge’s maternity leave officially comes to an end next week when she begins a busy autumn programme of royal duties. The mother of four-month-old Princess Charlotte and two-year-old Prince George will pay a visit next week to the Anna Freud Centre in London, a charity involved with children’s mental health.

The six-week Rugby World Cup kicks off in 10 days and it is understood that she will attend several matches and events.'

Rebecca English reports Kate will join rugby fans William and Harry at the opening ceremony of the Rugby World Cup at Twickenham on Friday, 18 September. The theme of the ceremony, "breaking new ground", will tell the story of rugby's birth in England and celebrate its journey to Rugby World Cup 2015. Indeed news of the princes' attendance comes as no surprise; William is patron of the Welsh Rugby Union and Harry honorary president of England Rugby 2015.

It is understood the opening ceremony will be the first of several tournament events William, Kate and Harry will attend. There's an abundance of possibilities in this area, as 48 matches will be hosted in 12 match venues in England and Cardiff during the six-week tournament.

Rugby World Cup Facebook Page

From a sartorial perspective, I expect we'll see something on the semi-formal side for the opening ceremony; a nice dress perhaps. For the remainder of the events, a smart casual look would appear most suitable. We may see the Duchess opting for her trusty "sporting uniform" of navy blazer, skinny jeans and Stuart Weitzman Corkswoon Wedges.

Last week Kensington Palace announced Kate would be visiting the Anna Freud Centre on 17 September, and it is reportedly one of a number of engagements in the area of children's mental health Kate will undertake. I would personally love to see the Duchess taking on this area of importance - increasing awareness of the leading organisations in this field and using her public profile to support such charities.

'It is an area on which she intends to focus much of her public work in the coming months, with another engagement later this month and many more beyond, according to palace sources.'

In October, the Duke and Duchess are expected to attend the state banquet for the Chinese president. As Prince William's calendar begins to fill up, it will be the first time he has had to juggle his shift work with the East Anglian Air Ambulance and royal duties.

'The coming months, however, will be the first time he has really had to juggle his shift work with a full schedule of public engagements, supporting the Queen and focusing on military issues and fighting the illegal wildlife trade.

He plans to make a major public speech on Chinese television channel CCTV1, which has the nation’s largest audience share, on efforts to combat the illegal wildlife trade. It will be filmed in mid-October, around the time of a Chinese State visit to the UK, and broadcast soon after. '

Aides say William, Kate and Harry will attend a BAFTA event for children in October, which will be hosted by the Wallace and Gromit animators, and celebrate British creative industries. It will be organised by their Charities Forum. Trips to Scotland and Wales are also on the calendar with plans underway for the Cambridges to visit Dundee and North Wales in late October and late November respectively.

Remembrance Sunday takes place on 8 November this year. The Duchess will join other members of the Royal family for ceremonies at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.

Aside from the events mentioned above, there's the possibility a gala or two may be on the cards. Gerts Royals noted the 100 Women in Hedge Funds London Gala takes place in October. The gala is for the benefit of Kate's patronage The Art Room and it would seem a likely event for the Duchess. The Tusk Conservation Awards will be held in November. Kate attended in 2013, so it's entirely possible she'll join Prince William this year. Below we see Kate at the inaugural Tusk Conservation Awards in a sparkling Jenny Packham gown.

Information on the aforementioned events comes from two very reliable royal reporters, so I expect we'll hear an official announcement quite soon. We'll update this post immediately should confirmation come in the next day or two, and don't forget to keep an eye on 'Kate's Upcoming Dates' on the sidebar of the blog.

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We also have a selection of tidbits to share with you. Camilla Tominey wrote an informative piece on the whopping effect Kate, George and Charlotte have on the economy. We've often heard how the 'Kate Effect' cannot be underestimated - and now an educated guess puts the figure in the region of £10 billion.

'Given that she is only four months old and has appeared only twice in public, the money she is generating for British businesses is impressive. Prince George may be king one day but he is worth a mere £2.3billion by comparison, according to London-based consultants Brand Finance.

The so-called “Charlotte effect” has brought a huge uplift to the brands the Princess is associated with. Her birth alone generated economic benefits of more than £100million, according to Brand Finance.

Both children trail their mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, in terms of influence, however, Kate, 33, is said to be worth £4.7billion.'

And on an interior design note - Kate reportedly commissioned several custom-made rugs from British designer Luke Irwin. Thanks to a stylish collaboration with Anthropologie, his designs are now widely available. Speaking to Architectural Digest the luxury designers spoke about the exciting project:

“There’s something very honest about saying, ‘You have this design, it comes in this color, and it’s tagged at this price,’” Irwin says of his momentary departure from the made-to-measure operation that can take up to 18 months.

While the rugs are a tad more complex than that description would suggest—there are four styles, in five sizes, at prices that range from $2,000 to $11,000—they’re certainly more approachable to what graces Middleton's floors. Still, hand-knotted in India with Persian and Tibetan techniques, they maintain a look of artisanal (if even royally approved) quality.'

Finally, it would be remiss not to mention the significance of tomorrow, 9 September for the Royal family. Her Majesty the Queen will become Britain's longest-serving monarch, surpassing her great great grandmother Queen Victoria. Her Majesty has given Britain and the Commonwealth a lifetime of unwavering service, and her sense of duty and dedication is simply faultless. I know my feelings of admiration and respect for the Queen are echoed by millions. Below we see the monarch at the Braemer Gathering in Scotland over the weekend having a wonderful time!

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are currently visiting HM and the Duke of Edinburgh at Balmoral.

412 comments:

I hope the Queen will reign so much longer! I respect her so much and her workload especially at her age.

It is nice that we can see Kate again. I just fear of the uniform and the wedges to be honest. But maybe the weather and the grand opening will put them on hold. Fingers crossed. The fact that it is another sport event, do not surprise me at all.

I have just seen an interesting video of visiting Portmouth last month. There was a peculiar moment when Kate was so in a hurry, that basically tried to leave without saying bye. And when she realised it but check it out.(2.40) She needs learning and having more to do.

That video is taken out of context. They were not saying good bye but making arrangements for their next venue. You can see William does not shake the mans hand either. Because of the weather, things were adjusted on the fly. This video was discussed elsewhere at the time.Glad to see the Cambridges and Harry out and about.

It looked to me that they lead her around to the other side to get inside and that the man with William just kept talking and Kate just scoowed across seat and out again. Odd? Perhaps but not for 'being in a hurry '. I think the handlers made a mistake in this clip. JMHO

The world respects and admires the Queen. The monarchy and society have changed dramatically in her lifetime and she simply adjusts and carries on. Long may she reign.Glad to hear of Kate returning to her public role. All mothers should be able to be with their children. She is lucky and her children will be the better for it. She will have the rest of her life to serve Britain. Sending fervent prayers that someone will wean her from the skinny jeans and wedges soon..

If Kate does wear her "uniform" again I hope we don't have to go through the pages and pages of rhetoric that we have already gone through concerning that.Discussion is good but we have already been there and done that.

How about a separate page for the uniform or a subsection of Kate Loves? Such already exhausted comments could be put there instead of on the current thread. Then anyone who must spin the same-old same-old could to click on it to read it.

I agree with Erika and others - I've never liked the skinny jeans - even in the honeymoon days of Canada but we've all said our peace so perhaps there should be a moratorium - one spokesperson appointed to represent for and against and that's it. I fully expect to see them for rugby - although we've given her a host of wonderful options and their rugby engagements are of less interest to me anyway. As always, I'm ready to be happily surprised.

I'm much more excited about the build-up of engagements on children's mental health - it would be a perfect area for her to develop.

What are the rest of your going to talk about? The matches? Her facial expressions as she watches matches? How generous it is of her to leave her children to watch matches for her country? Be careful what you wish for -- you might find that complaints about shoes isn't so bad to read after all.

So far only one engagement has been announced for the mental health initiative. I would not hold my breath for a "build up of engagements". My feeling is still that this one engagement is just a cover for the numerous rugby games she will sit and watch.

But I mostly agree with Julia. And Moxie, hire me as one of those overworked staff members and I'll write a piece for your blog about Kate watching rugby. If it's anything like Australia, she'll be talking to a friend, not watching the match.

I actually love skinny jeans, straight, flair and wide jeans. It is just the huge cork wedge I do not like. The cork just shouts out. If it was all the same color better. I actually love short boots with skinny jeans or very expensive flats like an AGL flat with the skinny. I also love very high heels with skinny jeans. But yes, like the rest of us, time for Catherine to ditch those cork shoes and buy something new...she can keep the jeans for another year or so and then upgrade those:). Ali

I do not agree to any kind of moratorium, I hope this site never become like that. Free speech people! Just because the topic is repetitive for some. No offence meant!

Actually if I do not want to read something unpleasant or disturbing, I do not read it or switch off the telly. No offence meant again!

And all the Anons who have a problem with the 2nd comment: could you provide a topic which is worth discussing in connection with the duchess? Or you just come here to express how certain people should think? For me it looks like the latter.

Anon 00:45 - I had the same thought - you are not alone. She is incurring quite a cynical vibe as folks begin to pick up on these patterns. You can almost predict that if Kate is going to do a charity appearance, it will be followed by a sport one or a vacation. You start to wonder what is being scheduled first.

bluhare, I was hoping YOU would counter with a "Why don't we just have a page of uncritical thinking where everyone says nice things without thinking deeply about the subject matter" because it is just as tiring to read Well Done! for someone who simply showed up for an hour or two to receive some flowers and presents for her children and to "learn more".

Meanwhile, you have fantastic Watching Kate Watching Sports skills! I would love your guest post! Be advised we are ad free thus have an operating budget of $0. (I don't know what that is in British currency!)

Difficult to judge a person's response to an entire event on the basis of a few minutes of photos-do we know that the particular moment captured was not a time out or other lapse in the game?Why shouldn't she visit with a companion from time to time?Same as saying a single, brief photograph of Catherine proves she didn't have the FO.My theory is, since new polls have come out showing William ahead slightly over the Queen and Charles20% behind William in likability and monarchy approval-rating at a high, dissenters are panicking andgrasping at any bit to spin a web of rumor and speculation.Apparently "palace sources" could indeed relate to CH-if some royal writers are jumping the gun onevent announcements.Since the sources quoted have at times been accurate , one would suspect this sortof gun-jumping has been going on for awhile.No wonder KP doesn't trust them. Either that, or perhaps re-newed phone surveillance is a possibility.Poll source:abc au, 10-9-2015.

Anon 18.36 Actually, Richard Palmer said that this information for the fall was actually given in confidence to the members of the press for them to have as background and for operational purposes. Palmer got mad that people started telling the things to the public and said (again) that the gloves are off (like it was KPs fault people told it...). I don't know why they would think it wouldn't get leaked. They might even have counted on it beeing leaked since it's "good press". I don't know what I'm trying to say... so I'll just end here :P

Why don't we just have a page of uncritical thinking where everyone says nice things without thinking deeply about the subject matter" because it is just as tiring to read Well Done! for someone who simply showed up for an hour or two to receive some flowers and presents for her children and to "learn more"?

I have never liked the look of the Temperley dress. It has that ridiculous effect of, "Ooh, look, you can see through my dress. Oh wait, no you can't " which is not classy. Is the under layer better looking in person?

Richard Palmer tweeted today that the info on the additional engagements came from KP press office, but his understanding was it was given for operational purposes, not yet for publication. He did say he won't adhere to those rules in future so I think he's exasperated and trying to figure out what "rules" are. There seems to be no honor among thieves anymore :)

The only thing I find confusing and can't get clarity on is this state dinner! I'm not clear if it's been confirmed even for operational purposes... seems unusually vague.

Also... I am relatively new to the blogs but so glad I came in time to see the dream looks posts, it was great fun. It also means I now have proof and hard evidence that there are some very talented people here, stylists with a tremendous eye for fashion! So if that "uniform" shows up again, I will hold you all to a higher standard ;) I will not stand by and let your love of all things Kate cloud your impeccable fashion knowledge now that I've seen what you're capable of!! (Said with fondness and admiration!)

Claudia, I think part of the problem is that the dates for the State visit do not seem to have been announced yet. Everything out there mentions that it will happen in October with no specific dates given.

I wonder how long before a visit they usually announce the date? Also I've heard some rumours about a China-America statevisit being kindoff put on ice or reearranged because of some issues with China so maybe the UK is a part of that issue or awaiting the result of that issue before announcing a date.

My impression is that the actions of the Chinese financial markets have put the Chinese president's visits to UK and US and maybe elsewhere into some question. How strong the question is, I have no idea. It seems to me that such visits are a strong opportunity for communication, and I hope his travels will go on as planned.

You're making brilliant comments for a new blogger Claudia - glad to have you. I was never a contributor to any blog before this site - never would have thought about it but I love Charlotte's style and her willingness to mix intelligent subjects with fashion - and to give us freedom to express ourselves - the "dress Kate" project worked out wonderfully, and I'm looking forward to more - and really hoping on the China banquet - still hope we have a chance to express ourselves on that - I have a fantastic dress chosen. (At least, I think so.)

Thank you Julia! It's a first for me as well... I'm definitely an objective observer, and I feel we're in very fluid times right now with the BRF, with the situation in Scotland etc etc... I'm intrigued where the monarchy is heading and clearly W&K will be instrumental in that. I quite enjoy a vigorous debate so look forward to chatting!

Fluid times for the BRF indeed. Nicely put Claudia. As I read that, a thought occurred to me that perhaps William and Kate have such an apathetic approach to royal duties because they know that the monarchy is going to be way less prominent when their time comes, if it indeed ever does. Charles is already downsizing as we have had mentioned here before. Perhaps as globalization continues and increases, national prominences (ie, royal family, etc.) will be diminished as one world government/globalism emerges. William and Kate may know a lot more about that than the general public, and are living their lives within that information framework. Just a thought.

I think she thought their conversation was wrapping up and she hurried to get into the car to get out of the weather. She scooted across the seat and got out of the car to say goodbye to this gentleman. I think it illustrates how genuine she is to have made that effort. Thanks for posting this as I always marvel at their ability to make "small talk" and how approachable they seem. Nice to see. -Joan from Ohio

Blue27: I looked at your Youtube post and I guess I just don't see what you see. To me, it appears that she got in the car and the person talking to William leaned in the car and spoke to her and instead of having a conversation across the backseat of the car, Kate stepped out, finished the conversation and got back in again. But then, I wasn't looking for something to criticize. She's coming back into the public eye... wouldn't it be nice to turn the page on the summer of discontent and just wait and see how things go? "She needs learning"? I'm sorry, but I just don't know what you mean by that.

I agree with all the other posters. She was lead to the other side. William was talking and she scooted back out. Very polite over talking across a seat. I saw nothing to criticize. Wouldn't it be lovely if Kate could just catch a break? She is damned if she does and damned if she doesn't. Feels like high school mean girls club at times.

I wholeheartedly agree. And, very well said! Kate thought very quickly "in the moment", while facing daunting, drenching weather, and overrode her handlers' direction to do the polite and correct thing. She handled herself very well in that situation.

Looking forward to seeing the Duchess back out and about. I viewed the YouTube post, and it was clear to me that someone had indicated for her to get in the car. The weather was terrible, and she just did what was natural. Can't wait to see what gorgeous outfit she will wear to the state dinner.

Wouldn't you just love to know what Prince Phillip said to the Queen to make her laugh so much?There are numerous photos of TRF laughing at the Braemar games. I think they love Scotland.Nice that after 68 years of marriage he can make her laugh.

Very nice to get a bit of a look at the fall :) Always fun when engagements pick up after the summer break :) I love hearing that she will have a focus on engagements focused on Childrens Mental Health! I love this niche she is carving out for herself!

Also, very fun that she will go to some rugby events. It's always so amusing when they watch sports and you can't say no to an outing of the three musketeers! I like that they seem to be planning more trio events this fall :) Also, rugby can be rather "scary", right? So I expect alot of Kate hiding in her hair and hands! And some Will and Kate PDA, they seem to always get touchy feely at sport events :P

Nice to hear that they will do some events around the country! I think the fall will shape up really nicely!

After hearing about Williams planned speech on Chinese TV (WOW! by the way!) I belive more and more that they will be at the state banquet! NICE!

Also, THE QUEEN! What a marvelous woman! I don't like jinxing things, but a hopefull congratulations for tomorrow and wishes for many more years! I love that picture of Phillip and the Queen. So happy, and adorable sharing that blanket!

I agree! I was really impressed by her! It was her first overseas thing and she did a long-ish speech in front of 2000 people (including Nelson Mandelas widow) etc. Really nicely done! She is a "theatrical" person that have always enjoyed the limelight and done this kind of work for about 5 years for project playground so she had a nice base to stand on with that :) I think she is doing impeccably so far :)

I know you didn't bluhare... and I might be a bit stingy because I'm so tired of the "this person is so pretty, not like This one" and all that so blue27 ended up getting all of my frustration when I took the "Maybe someone to look up to." as a nack on Kate... I might be stingy... or right... Just tired of the mentaality that when you compliment one person you always have to put down another at the same time.

I'm just in awe of whoever did the image re-make of Sophia. Honestly, Rebecca, can you say there hasn'tbeen a complete turn-about in her appearance, behavior, even posture, for Pete's sake.I know Carl Philip's parents were not happy with his choice for awhile.Sophia has taken her new identity and run with it.Let's hope she doesn't get crushed when she has a baby and wants to spend time with it. And for othermiscellaneous reasons.Kate had a "honeymoon period," too. Then some people became so disappointed because she wasn't theperson the media had made her into.

So excited to see Kate again! I have so much respect for these two. No matter what others say, being a mother, wife, and living your life in the public eye, knowing that every time you step out of the house your ever move is criticized, all why trying (and in Kate's case, succeeding) to put it all behind you and focus on your job must be hard. I know William doesn't get talked about as much but again, he's doing such great work for his country. And they will both continue to do what they do for the rest of their lives.

Regarding the "uniform," I agree with the sentiments above that it really doesn't have to be discussed again! ha :) So what if that's what Kate likes to wear? If she's appropriately dressed for the event (which she ALWAYS is, imo), her job is not "fashion guru!" I hope we can move past it and discuss what she's there to support :)

Congratulations to HM on a long and glorious reign! She is graceful, steadfast, and has been a symbol of stability to those in the UK and around the world. As I read in one article, "she remains strong of heart and stout of spirit." I think that describes her perfectly. As she reaches this wonderful milestone, I hope she is content and satisfied in how her reign has gone. I love the picture above with Prince Philip. She looks so joyful and radiant! I hope she enjoys her quiet family celebration and can reflect on her time this far as reigning monarch with happiness. Many congratulations and love to "our" Queen! Long Live The Queen!

Happy, happy, happy to know we will be seeing Kate over the coming weeks! I'm thankful she has spent the past few months focusing on her family, but am REALLY looking forward to seeing her in the upcoming engagements. Hope everyone is enjoying their time at Balmoral!

The queen is out and about today - some rather unflattering photos of Nicola although her suit is nice (I say grudgingly.) No sign of William and Kate today - perhaps there won't be. The queen apparently did feel she wanted to keep this day low-key as it spoke of surviving a relative. Not sure Victoria would have done the same - despite all her seclusion - she loved being feted.

Long live our Queen! There have been so many wonderful pictures and it's such an amazing thing.

This fall already seems pretty busy with many engagements for all 3 of them. It will be nice seeing Kate at several events. It seems as if she is starting to put a focus towards her charities and finding her own niches.

I must admit I am delighted with the news although not yet officially confirmed but quite clearly factual on the outline of engagements for Kate over the next couple of months is great and hopefully will now put a stop to some of the cruel rubbish that has been circulating.in the press and magazines. I very much hope she will forcefully pursue raising the profile of Charities involved with mental health and her other charities. There has been a very positive response over her forthcoming visit to the Anna Freud Centre some of it from people involved in mental health so I very much hope the press will give good coverage on the work of the charity rather than nip pick on whether Kate has grey roots or they don't like what she is wearing etc. leave the girl alone and promote the charity which is what Kate wants them to do. I am pleased she is going to the Rugby world cup she & William attended quite a few rugby matches before they were engaged and also since there marriage on a more formal setting but they have fun and it will be good to relax and have a fun day together. I hope they will attend more evening functions together as they used to do before George was born why William decided to go sole for his charities I don't know he does sometimes accompany Kate for some of hers. Let us hope these events turn out as hoped and also that they will attend the State Banquet although no mention was made of that. regretfully it rather looks as if the Balmoral story was speculation not fact to date there has been no indication that they are there.

I saw that! How nice! :) Although the dinner rumour seem to be untrue (Wessexes are not at Balmoral, Neither is Charles and Camilla etc) it's nice that the Cambridges are there :) Might be that the Phillips have left now, since appearantly the queen likes to host one family at a time when at balmoral so she can give them her full attention :)

I just have to say--and I hope it isn't disrespectful to do so--HM is so adorable! Her smile seems to come from within and, whenever I see footage of her smiling and interacting with people, I feel the urge to say "awww!". The interesting thing is that, even with the urge to say "aww!", I am still struck how regal she is. The way in which she carries herself, the way that her presence affects those around her.... She is an amazing woman with an impressive career. I truly admire her. Congratulations to HM on her milestone; I hope that she reigns for many years to come!

Charlotte, thanks for this great round up as we move out of maternity leave and into the fall! So well done with great photos, excellent viewpoint, and a nice mention of the Queen's milestone. I enjoy this blog so much! I cannot wait to see Kate out again and see what sartorial choices she makes. I can't decide what I'm most excited about, but the China State Banquet is really high on my list, so I hope it will be announced soon with a specific date. Tiaras and gowns! Katherine USA

Even though I'm not British and ironically have an ancestor who fought in the revolution I'm quite excited to be living through history tomorrow. Queen Elizabeth ii had to take the throne way too early and has dedicated her life to the throne and still at the aged of 89 does hundreds of engagements each year...work ethic I hope the Cambridge's learn to copyAnd given what I have read about queen Victoria I can't help but think she would be a little perturbed by being outdone by her great great grandaughter =;)Still, I find queen Victoria's record amazing because she lived through a time without modern medicine and survived the birth of 9 children when death and birth was not a rarity I love that the two most celebrate dmonarchs in britian are queens not kings...talk about girl power!I only wish I could get my hands on a paper from the UK today to save!Sarah usa

oh I love to see the duchess again im really looking forward seeing her does duchess will make a speech child and mental in September 17 Rebecca of Sweden princess sofia just nailed her speech although she new to Sweden royal family I think they make they have good choice attend back to the story I love the uniform but I like too see her not wearing skinny jeans please and I would love too see royal trio again

It was at the wedding of Autumn and Peter, Williams cousins. She was hanging out with Harry and his (then) girlfriend Chelsy so she wasn't alone and it was a little "hi" thing, probably. And yes, it was 2008 :)

Gosh, have you seen the new photo of HM The Queen, released by the Palace to celebrate this day? It reminds me so much of the Bond spot for the Olympics!!! She´s awesome! I´ve been watching quite a lot of live footage of her recent visit to Germany - she truly is amazing, just as her husband!! He was walking about at a garden party for the longest time, cracking jokes! May they both have many, many happy years to come! Congratulations to Her Majesty! Britain and the Commonwealth should be proud of having a Head of State like her!

Lovely post Charlotte, I really enjoy tuning in to your updates. I am afraid I am going to have to be one of those "naysayers." I don't have a problem if she shows up in wedges or skinny jeans, and I don't think she and William have hit a rough patch. I don't care how many society weddings she goes to. I agree with her focus on her kids and taking since May to largely focus on being a mother to two young children. So on that front, I am not complaining. But this series of engagements leaves me underwhelmed. One charity outing, and back to showing up at a sport event with her husband and brother in law, and maybe a tiara sighting at a State Dinner, but we are really not sure of that. Really? How hard is it to make doing a consistent amount of work out and about in England, 2-3 days a week, for someone with her kind of support system? One event a day, three days a week, still leaves her time to be with her kids. We know William and Harry turned out well. Diana's diary was very very busy 4 - 5 years into her public life even with two small children. I see how this is going to go, one outing in Sept, a sports event, a state dinner in October, and then off to Mustique with her family. Another 1-2 events in late November early December, and then the holiday break. And then, another family outing in January? If this is what they do, I cannot be sympathetic when the criticism starts to mount. I bet the writers at the DM are already drafting the articles ready to file in November, December and January. Everyone has their share of balancing, and doing things they don't want to do. At this point I am feeling like I am following the life of a stepford wife, instead of a wife of a future head of state who has a unique role to play, and is seizing that opportunity. Sorry if this is blunt and harsh, but I'm growing disenchanted and uninspired. Its not their job to make me happy, but I will say as someone who does not have to follow them at all, and has for 4 yours, the fact that someone like me - inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt -is growing weary of their half measures might give them pause. I know this is not going to be a popular opinion (bluhare, where are you??) and I don't want people to get upset as I am truly not trolling for a reaction. Maybe I feel like the character in Jerry Maquire when she asked Tom Cruise for a job and after blabbing for a bit stops and says "I just want to be INSPIRED." (And if that's the case, perhaps I am looking in the wrong place and that's not their fault, its mine....)

AMEN!!!!! There is no reason Kate can't do three engagements a week for gods sake she would still have plenty of time with her children My mom worked full time and I turned out well its time for Kate to get off her behind its not as if she doesn't have a nanny or housekeeper to help her

Good wording ariagurl, it is "underwhelming". I was a little surprised by the adjectives and gushing headlines "a busy schedule for Kate" "Kate eager to get back to work" --- when you look at it on a calendar it's not much at all, barely anything in fact. Even one engagement a week would be a start. And I fully understand family life and demands, but as I've said before, a few events does not a workload make :)

You have to always remember, there are millions of hardworking taxpayers (many of them mothers) who fund the BRF, and they are patient to a point, but their patience might be coming to an end. And I have found that many people who are increasingly weary of the Cambridges are actually fervent monarchists, which is why they recognize a fine line when they see it. You're right, a holiday will not play well.

Given the anniversary we marked today, and the fact that an 89 year old woman still carries out 300+ engagements, it isn't surprising that loyal monarchists may be saying "what about the younger set?" Maybe the calendar will fill in, we'll see...

Don't feel bad.I have come to accept that Kate does the bare minimum and always has. She is 33, she is unlikely to change. I accept her. I revel in the successes and efforts of other hardworking royals.She has nice clothes sometimes and she makes for good fitspiration.

It's been a predictable pattern for her (and Wills) to pad the last couple months of the year with a gala or two, sports events and a charity thrown in for good measure. Then off to $25,000/week holidays. They have done this for 4 years now.She didn't work hard before marriage and kids. It is not in her nature. They can go on vacation without the kids, but not a couple hours to support her patronages, who rely on her fame for funding and PR.

I love Charlotte's writing and Kate's inspirational fitness-wise. That's it for me :) I feel sad for the future of the monarchy, but for now it is in good hands with HM, Charles, Camilla, and Harry, bless him, what a hard-working man. So proud of what he became to be. At the moment, the acceptance I have is nothing short of peaceful.

Lower the standards and let go of the high expectations for these two. You will feel better, and it is what they and their fans have wished for for ages.

My only wish now is that when she does do engagements, she does so with integrity and respect and care to those around her.

Or in this case, points. I am feeling the same on every point. It is very frustrating when, I, from the wedding on, had been expecting more. As their lives are really none of my business, I have decided to not critique anymore and find some new more productive interests. I hope they surprise everyone with more charity involvement etc. but after four years, I think you have their pattern right.

I feel the same way ariagurl. I have been a fervent fan from the beginning but am becoming very disillusioned. They appear to dislike royal duties and want to do as few as possible. I wanted them to be so much more than this.

I'd love to see a real, hearty display of compassion given in public for anything other than sports (from either Kate, William or Harry), but unfortunately they seem to prefer to have most of their public appearances highly staged and performed, to the point where it all feels fluffy and lacking in substance. I get why they might choose that, but it's just that what we see is not all that real.

I can tell they are considerate people, and probably they do show more care behind the scenes than we see. But if they want us to care about their causes, then perhaps we need to see them honestly caring. To a degree, I think we are beginning to see that with Kate and her support of the hospice movement (as one pertinent example), but at the moment, it's not much and everyone seems to run out of things to say about it rather quickly.

And I realise that the media only show certain angles in order to sell papers/clicks, but isn't KP trying to show that the royals are not so much at the mercy of the press these days? There are other avenues for publicity if they want to use them - we've seen them using social media slightly.

Be brave, Royal Family. Be brave! Try something new.

I haven't commented for aaages ( I have two small kids who keep me pretty busy) but I do follow along with you all. :)

I understand.. I myself am worried sometimes... Not if they will be able to do enough.. Yes Kate haven't done very much, but William have shown no signs of not being able to hold a job. I mean, he's done Uni, military training and jobs and now doing a 2/3rd job scheduel while still doing engagements so I have no doubts that he will be able to handle it (and since he will be the one who has to do the most in terms of constitutional stuff) I belive there's no reason to worry. I don't worry so much about how they will be able to handle it in the future, I think they'll do rather well. Maybe not go down in history, but well enough (they could surprise me both ways). I am a bit worried how the perception of them will be, if it will stick (like airmiles andy) and become lazy and waity and stuff like that or if the collective mind will be as forgetful as it usually is. I mean.. Charles and Camilla are accepted and rather liked so I think that if in 30 years William and Kate are doing good enough and George and Charlotte are OK adults etc that them having a few years to themselves will just be a talking point in documentaries and have no weight on their perception more than a line similar to the one we hear in documentaries of the queen. "She and prince Phillip spent 2 years on a naval base in Malta, in what would later be described as some of the happiest years of their lives". That is what 2 whole years are summed up to. No mention of the people that grumbled because she left the kids at home. Just a small line about those years. And that iss what I think this time will scuffle up to. "The 5-10 years they had in Norfolk, raising their young family as a relatively normal family was a happy time in their life that gave them much joy enjoying the normal family things in a place away from the spotlights". But that is just me. Everything seems so big and long when you're in the middle of it, but the BRF are very good at looking at the big picture and I think we sometimes forget how short our collective minds are. And I do enjoy her focus on Childrens Mental Health. I had started seeing the pattern rather early, also on how she talked about George, saying "We have introduced him to messy play" and not "He loves playing with foam" shows that she is actually reading up on children development and techinques etc and that shows that she probably has a real interest in the subject. Same when she stayed that hour extra on a seminar a few years ago to hear more lectures on childrens health. I actually think both she and Williams truly care about childrens mental health, the treatments and it's effect on adults. Do I think she will change the world? No. But not everyone has to! She could absolutley chock me and do alot in that area! Or she might not. I won't hold it against her.

(aslo. ps. a question... I know Diana made many more engagements at this time of her royal life. But what causes were she connected to 4,5 years into the marriage? I was not alive/was to young when Diana lived so I don't know if the Diana Kate is always compared to is the 30+ year old, divorced Diana in the minefields or what she actually did in her earlier years? Not wanting to compare the two... I just got curious how "shocking" and rebellious and amazing she was so early on?)

I agree with all of the above. It is depressing to see it coming to this. Stephanie made a good point - they have indeed padded their year with fun events and a charity event here and there. And I am sick of the excuse that they are not next in line and Charles is holding them back. If he is not holding them back for galas and sports events and other fun things their status gives them for free then he is not holding them back from making a real effort to get serious with an issue.

Stephanie,Perfectly, perfectly said! I have been unable to succinctly summarize my feelings around Kate and you said it exactly. Kate has never had to work and she's certainly not going to start now. I sit at a desk 10 hours a day and work hard; "working" for Kate is a couple of hours every few weeks or months, yet she can find the time to become a certified scuba diver and go on amazing holidays in Mustique. I had actually started to have very negative feelings towards both Kate and William -- and had stopped reading Charlotte's blog as often as a result -- as I feel they continue to make excuses for why they don't seem to "work" beyond sporting events. I think you're right -- I'm going to lower my expectations, accept that it is what it is, and if/when Kate ever does an engagement without wearing a) her skinny jeans/wedges or b) a coat dress, it will be that much more exciting!

I just wanted to chime in with "Agreed!". As there's been a lack in news to follow on the Cambridge front, in recent years, I've started following other European royal families. I enjoy watching those families navigate and balance their royal workloads and their young families-- all the while looking fabulous. I do hope the Cambridges will surprise me in coming years but I'm not overly hopeful.

Kate is the wife of an heir, she is not of royal blood herself. The only two other members of the family who are not royal blood but represent the family in this way are Camilla and Sophie - who have modified programs. (Phillip, a spouse of the monarch, actually being of royal blood himself). It is also important to note, that the generation who have power and influence are Charles' peers - not William and Kate's - who have not yet inherited the money to wield influence - just as William is a beneficiary of Duchy of Cornwall, but does not control the assets. His circle of friends are all in the same boat. How awkward when Phillip and Charles want the wealthy and aristocrats to fund what they consider important, only to have William/Kate come along and want them to contribute to their causes too.

What exactly do you want to be inspired to do? Give money or Give time? And why do you need a wife of a royal to be a part of that aspect of your life? If you are looking for amazing women - check out Amy Poehler's Smart Girls - they feature inspirational women daily.

I agree that following Kate is following the life of an extremely wealthy person - and not a humanitarian leader concerned about the welfare of the people. I wouldn't call her a stepford wife - I've often wondered if I'm witnessing a modern day Marie Antoinette. There was an unconfirmed report recently that Kate spent the summer sketching her children. While lovely - not something other mothers with "2 under 2" can relate to.

Your comment about - it is not their job to make you happy - is interesting. Are you a UK citizen? What then is their job, what should they be providing for you in exchange for the benefits you provide them?

Just wondering, logistically, if Kate would start working 2 or 3 days a week, would that require staying at Kensington palace, instead of commuting to London from Anmer each day? Seems like a long and tiring commute, unless she is helicoptered.

Many thanks to everyone from tolerating my rant. Don't have many people I can share my strange fascination with all things royal ... even less have patience for my discontent ("You're American! If you are unhappy with them then why read about them??" All valid in their own way..and it would take too long to try to explain, and not sure how I would "Well, yes, I'm American, but I think the monarchy has something to offer in a polarized disfunctional political world....yes I am unhappy with them but think they could be great if they get it "right"...yada yada...). So v much appreciated.

Seriously Courtney? We are not asking them a lot and of course what we thinksnmatters and they should listen to what the public says they should do what we want they live because of us!I'm rolling the death bell because I can't imagine Kate every putting in the work Camilla or the queen do everyday and we aren't even asking her to do something every day just a couple of times a week for gods sake!

Rebecca - Diana was president/patron of 100+ charities while she was HRH Princess of Wales. Once the divorce was finalized she cut ties with the majority of them, holding on to 6 that were close to her heart. It was a decision that generated a lot of press and controversy.

Moxie - I would like to see them both give much more time to British interests, charities, events, businesses, people... you name it. Any working (i.e. taxpayer supported) member of the BRF is first and foremost a representative of the Head of State at any event, the monarch, currently the Queen. They are supposed to be national cheerleaders, consolers, promoters et al. I am not anti-Cambridge and was excited to see what William would do with his life, but the fact is they are getting tremendous return on royal life with very little investment.

All the articles that said Kate was better prepared for royal life than Diana because she had so much time made me smile a little. There is no amount of time that can prepare you for this life! That said, if they were looking for downtime they've had it. Their entire courtship, engagement, now these first years of married life. I don't begrudge them some initial time, but they're both into their 30's now and I think need to do more than leisure activities. I've said it before, the longer they wait the harder it is going to be for them once the Queen dies. While the Queen and Charles may want to give them what they didn't have (and I do understand that) I think they are actually doing them a disservice at this point.

Princess Anne is not a "crown princess" but works harder than most of them. This is not rocket science :)

Ok - it's been a very long time since I've chimed in, but I'm inspired now. Comparing Kate to Diana is pretty unfair. Diana was married to the first in line and as Princess of Wales her responsibilities and duties were more involved. As children of the heir do we have something or someone to compare them to? How often did their predecessors appear in public or do charity work as younger royals?

Isn't it a good thing that William and Catherine are building a strong foundation together for a long-lasting happy marriage? Isn't it good that they are raising beautiful, well mannered, well rounded children?

Once Charles becomes King, their roles and lives are going to drastically change. They will then be the Prince and Princess of Wales and their public lives will definitely become "more". They have a LIFETIME of service ahead of them. Would I love to see them out and about more, yes - that's the selfish part of me. Realistically though I think that as long as they are supported by the Queen everyone else should not be haters. :o)

ariagurl - I absolutely agree. I find it interesting that many of Kate's engagements are being explained as her learning more about an area. At what point will she be past learning and actually trying to help and make a difference in that area? Obviously there is always more to learn, but it is clear that she is still focused on that phase, rather than moving on to trying to help (rather than just learning how others are helping).

Rebecca - I sometimes wonder too if the Cambridges think that they can survive the criticism of this past year by doing more later. It will be interesting to watch. As you said, certain royals have been able to come back from a period of criticism while others have not. But even Charles and Camilla, who are much more liked than they were before, are still not "popular" by any means (which makes me quite sad). Even the latest poll shows people would rather William be King than Charles, even though imo, Charles has done much more for the monarchy in terms of serving the people and also modernizing it. I think that the next few years are very important. If Kate and William were still in their twenties, I think they could take the long-term view and think that a few years of criticism are fine because they can come back later. But they are kind of close to being middle-aged now. They won't retain the glamour and youth factor for much longer, and those may be critical for rebounding after some criticism. And while William has done work, I think it's important to note that he's done it on his terms. Yes, he's held down a job, but only as he's wanted to. Most people don't just work because they love what they do. In fact, most people don't even love what they do. They work because they have to. That has never ever been the case for William. Doing full-time royal work will probably be the first time he works because he has to. So I'm not entirely sure he can adjust so well, although you make a good point about him at least having worked.

Moxie - I think the point is that some people may want to be inspired by Kate, and that is why they follow her. I don't think wanting to be inspired by Kate is mutually exclusive with wanting to be inspired by others. But maybe people followed Kate because they thought she could be inspiring, ala Diana, and are now disappointed. And really, why does it matter to you why people expect to be inspired by Kate? For whatever reason, they do. And it seems many of them are now being disappointed.

Courtnee - why should we be required to think that despite over a decade after college of doing rather little, Kate will all of a sudden do a lot in her later years? People build good and bad habits in their earlier years. They do not suddenly change in their later years. Maybe Kate will be an exception. But I see no reason anyone should be expected to give her the benefit of the doubt. I don't know of any other "job" in which a lower level employee can say "Don't worry, I know I'm not doing much work right now, but once you appoint me as CEO I will suddenly increase my workload by a lot and know exactly how to handle it. I don't have to earn your trust, you should give me the best job and then just trust that I'll know how to handle it."

Moxie, the Duchess of Gloucester should be added to your list, along with Camilla and Sophie. Birgitte is quite active, and she and the Duke always attend banquets given by the City of London to entertain visiting heads of state. The Duchess of Kent was also an active royal, especially in the musical and tennis realms, before she retired. The Queen has always relied on her cousins and their spouses, who all have their own areas of interest and activity.

sorry may cat click my laptop I wishing her majesty and prince phillp healthy and happy life and and long may is reign I love the pictures of her in blue dress the duchess is taking a royal family order

HM the Queen is the epitome of a strong, elegant, hardworking, fabulous woman and, even though I'm American, I admire her so very much! How proud the entire Commonwealth must feel for having had her leadership and quiet guidance for so many years! The picture above is just outstanding! Cheers to the Queen!

Comments about Kate usually contain a thread about whether she works hard enough, and sometimes there's a reference to the perception that she never worked very hard. In the years between university and the BreakUp, I think she worked for her patents' business and a few months as a part time buyer. She was mainly, apparently, occupied as Williams's girlfriend. Her parents must have supported her in that endeavor, both emotionally and financially. They provided her a flat in London and presumably covered her living expenses. (After she and Will got back together, she moved in with him in Wales, so he was probably covering their housing and maintenance costs.) My question is how the Middletons managed it? They own a nice business, presumably profitable. I can easily see their business throwing off enough cash to afford the Middletons a very comfortable lifestyle - the large country home, the London flat, annual tropical getaways - but it doesn't seem like Party Pieces could bankroll that kind of lifestyle for the whole family. I believe Carol came from very modest means. While Mike had a slightly more prosperous background (a family inheritance was used for the children's education), there just isn't evidence of gobs of family money lying around to fund the adult children's jetsetting. Perhaps in the future, Kate, Pippa and James will inherit their parents' assets, but the three aren't heirs to a family fortune right now. Kate's obviously in good shape, moneywise, bit it still looks like the Middletons must be "helping" her siblings. Other than the book and some articles she writes, Pippa doesn't seem to have an occupation - other than training for and participating in extreme sporting events - and we see her regularly in beautiful clothes and taking terrific vacations. James seems to be keeping up with Pippa on the sporting and vacation fronts. Hard to imagine the Marshmallow business underwrites that for him. So, my question is: do people think Mum and Dad are still supporting Pippa and James, as they did for Kate while they were waiting on Will to "seal the deal"?. If so, how do they afford it? Is there more money in party accessories than I could imagine? Or are they in debt up to their eyeballs?

The Middleton's finances aren't public so we'll not know about that. There've been rumors though -- that William helped them buy their current house, they paid cash for the London flat, and that Gary helped finance some as well. He made a lot of money selling a company he built. The only thing that's verified, I think, is that Michael Middleton had access to a family trust that I think helped finance the kids' education.

zip: Pippa is quite self-sufficient. She has incorporated a shell company which handles her writing work and unofficial modelling gigs and she made more than 220K GBP or pounds last year. James may be running a company that made losses last year, but it is a company with a promising future as they secured venture funding. No doubt that he is paying himself a handsome salary, most likely around the range that Pippa earned, or perhaps slightly less - around 150K GBP.The Middletons are most likely quite wealthy. You may think that there is no money in selling party ware. That is not accurate. They are also selling data on what people purchase and that is worth a lot. So they are up to their eyeballs in debt with probability 0. Simply not the case.The family is wealthy.

There are purportedly monies from Michael's ancestors, the Luptons, (Lupo's namesakes?),who were wool merchants and barristers, who entertained Queen Victoria's daughter, Princess Mary. Michael's father, Peter, graduated Oxford and co-piloted some flights with Prince Phillip. How much money transferred to Michael is unknown to the public. The Lupton's were fairly wealthy it seems.

Why the Middletons lived in a duplex for as long as they did before moving to their original house in Bucklebury is a curiosity. Most assume that Carole's success with selling party bags allowed that. You would have to sell a lot of party supplies to subsidize their lifestyle once they landed in Bucklebury.

Perhaps Michael's trust funds/inheritance activated more at that time. It could have been a combination of both. Carole did get in on the ground floor on the internet selling her party supplies so that may have helped a lot. They also had/have part ownership of a racehorse but that no doubt costs way more money than it generates, as a rule.

As far as Michael's inheritance amount, finding out the financial quality of life of Michael's brothers might give a comparative indication of how much Michael might or might not have inherited.

Interesting how the cycle always turns negative. Much more satisfying to be critical. William and Catherine are not King and consort but two generations removed and their exposure should be comesurate. It is Chales and Camilla who should be at the forefront and shouldering the largest share of the workload and it could well be resented if their star were to be eclipsed. We just want to see the fashion and the glamour of the young and i think it is all much trickier to manage the dynamics. Four months is a short maternity leave. Read the mothering press and the criticism of early back to work is very vocal. I think no matter what they do it will be wrong because it is boring to say well done all the time. I myself will enjoy the appearances when they come, enjoy that they appear to be a loving happy family, be thankful that Kate's family are not excluded as Diana's were and like that this generation of siblings and cousins seem more at ease with each other than Charles's generation. Just by being they generate huge sums for the economy. We all want a little piece of the dream life

Well said alimai! Charles has big problems with people overshadowing him and his children do it all the time - the public loves them much more than him. They are also a generation back - as Deliah posts next.

Charlotte, if people are coming to this blog to whine that HRH doesn't do enough why do they remain 'fans'?? Frankly I feel that neither of TRH are set up as senior royals and therefore they are not required to be "out there" daily, weekly etc. The senior royals are a generation up from these two. The Wessexes (that spelling can't be right) are considered senior- and they are the aunt and uncle of William & Catherine...a generation up! What does Andrew do to earn his keep? I guess I just wish that if folks are unhappy with the situation, they would move on.

Maybe it's difficult for people to "move on" because they care about the monarchy. It's not always easy to just move on from things, especially things that may be relevant to their own lives. And even if they aren't relevant, there's nothing wrong with caring about global issues. If it was easy for people to "move on" when they don't like certain royals, then the monarchy will have lost its relevancy and then the royals would probably lose their benefits too. Also why is it that the Cambridges aren't senior royals when it comes to doing work, but they are senior royals when it comes to receiving benefits, etc.? The Wessexes did not receive both a large country home (with renovations) and a large city home (with renovations). Same with most of the other hard-working royals. The Wessexes didn't make it on the balcony for the Diamond Jubilee but the Cambridges did. The Cambridges are ranked higher in precedence for Balmoral arrivals for Christmas too. This seems like a double standard.

I wonder if the other working royals begrudge William and Kate all the perks? I have wondered why Princess Anne gave such a short, cold, curt response to the reporters who were asking her reaction to William and Kate's engagement announcement.

I read the comments and also observe the silence. Silence defined as follows... Charlotte will provide a new post with as innocent and enjoyable a subject as can be and the "fans" you speak of have nothing to say. Not a word. They wait a respectful (*cough*) 24 to 48 hours (maybe) and then start another round of sharing their "disappointment" while claiming to remain "hopeful". All in the name of "caring" about the monarchy.

Lovely concept, but when you truly care about someone or something, you don't take *every* opportunity, and then some, to slap it down. And I am *not* suggesting blind adoration (something I realize I will be accused of as it is the easiest defense), but there *is* a happy medium.

Perhaps the concept of "scrolling past" certain comments could be expanded to include certain subjects...i.e. The Duchess of Cambridge. Unless of course there is a "kick" in kicking...

Anon 01:33- My goodness. That's digging in the past for support. Actually, I thought that particularanecdote said more about Anne than about the couple. As I understand it, Anne is often short, curt, and cold.

Maggie, haven't you seen photos of Bagshot Park, the beautiful Wessex home!? Anmer Hall is small and plain by comparison. Rightly so, since it will be a temporary home for the Cambridges, while Bagshot will no doubt be inhabited by the Wessex family permanently. There are smaller houses on its grounds, too, that might be suitable for Louise and James in the future. Bagshot is part of the Crown Estate, and sits within Windsor Great Park. The Earl leases it.

Anon @ 03:33That's true. I brought that up wondering if Anne might not have been that fond of Kate's work habits up to that time. speculation. And you are right, it would be difficult to interpret that as she is by nature curt, cold and abrupt. With the world so enamored by the impending wedding you would have thought she would have responded a little differently.Anon @ 01:33

Wow! Queen Elizabeth looks stunning in red. Her smile and laughter in this wonderful photo with Prince Philip is delightful. Kate always looks gorgeous in everything she wears and I'm looking forward to her upcoming engagements. I'm in California and I know the Kate effect has made an impact in our higher end stores such as Nordstrom. All one has to do is look for an outfit suggestion on a mannequin and you'll see a striped tee with navy blazer with navy jeans. The shoe salon always has Stuart Weitzman displayed prominently. It's fun to browse the Store and recognize a similar dress that the Duchess has made popular. I truly wish that wearing hats and gloves would come back in style here. The Vintage community I am part of do indeed wear hats & gloves, but more in a 40's & 50's style. For inspiration on how the Kate effect has crossed over into vintage & retro I suggest taking a look at my two favorite vintage bloggers, Bethany Herwegh of The Glamorous Housewife & Jessica Cangiano of Chronically Vintage. There is inspiration for the Kate effect everywhere & especially here on Charlotte's fabulous blog when our curiosity of the Duchess of Cambridge first began.

Maybe a fun thing to do. If you were to be doing the Duchess's engagement what would you need to do beforehand to ensure a faultless engagement and what would need to be considered in making an outfit choice

Richard Palmer is up late tweeting about the relationship between KP and the Cambridges. That they have lost their reporters, photographers, news editors and there's not a lot of respect for them right now.

Whatever you think of him, he is a fine and talented correspondent, and fully understands the reality of the game that is played. It can be very difficult to be a correspondent on any dedicated beat, and I could do an entire post on that :)

It is not wise for any "office" to play games with their press corps, to not understand the relationship that needs to exist. Whether the parties involved like it or not, it is something that they must come to terms with.

He believes the "Cambridge narrative" may be changing in the near future --- and I believe that's the vibe I'm picking up in these comments. As I've said before the public will be patient to a point, but it will snap your neck to watch how quickly the pendulum will swing.

Not trying to be dramatic, but those of us you've been watching the BRF for sometime recognize a fine line coming when we see it, and if you are a fan of W&K you should recognize they need to make some changes and quickly.

I just wanted to chime in to say after over four years of blogging, I can safely say Richard Palmer is one of the good ones. He's an excellent reporter who doesn't indulge in exaggeration for the sake of a good story. I think he's very much rooting for William and Kate despite his obvious frustration with the way things are currently going.

The issue with the KP press office is felt by the British media, I've heard some horrendous stories regarding relations recently. It's been mentioned to me how entirely different dealing with KP is to Buckingham Palace or Clarence House. It's such a pity because working with the press is essential for the royal family.

I saw that... It sucks. Yes, he can become whiny sometimes but he has a point. I thought when they changed that PR person that it would become better but it's so screwed up! I mean... they're almost as bad as the PR department of the Swedish royal family, and that's saying something!! I mean... hire some good people, NOW!

THANK you SO much for your informative comments. I have been so frustrated by their"PR" team as I have stated many times. With friends like them William and Kate basically don't need any enemies. Why doesn't the press corps, the members William has known all his life and perhaps trust, give William a strong indication that he needs to clean house and start over, and again, with a Jamie Pinkerton at the helm. It is a dangerous thing to let your PR team run amuck.

Valid points guys. The thing is the PR team are only doing what William tells them they would be fired in a New York minute for doing anything else. I am disappointed with William and Catherine so much potential wasted.

Claudia, I understand the point you are making and I will not argue with you.

However, I think some of the disappointment directed at W&K stems from press expectations that they would have a young, glamorous royal couple to increase their bank balances. And from a "fan" level, I think the disappointment is over not being "entertained."

And I will say again that some of the more reasonable concerns or questions should be directed at CH, and not W&K's doorstep. If people are concerned about the *monarchy*, they need to consider the *big* picture.

Well, blogs write nice about them and Victoria is very popular and works hard. But the PR department says one thing then change the next week, put out wrong information, can make good situations sound bad and misses opportunities to get good PR... they're very clumsy but thankfully Victoria and Daniel are very loved and work hard so it doesn't show. But it shows ALOT on Madeleine and Chris and also a bit on the rest of them. But the Cambridge PR is on the same level... you don't know wether to laugh or cry at it!

I agree that William might have a hand in concerning the media... But I also think it's more than that... They miss alot of opportunities and they fumble. And it makes me sad.

Also, I can't remember if the last person was fired (well... they never are in the royal family... they are made to resign :P) or if they just changed job. If they were fired it might be that William and Kate were NOT happy with the department and brought in someone they thought would be more savvy... I think any person working with William will have to be able to stand their ground and earn his trust because he's selfproclaimedly stubborn. Jamie worked because he was a kind of father figure... I think they need to find the right balance between 2 "needy" clients. The Cambridges and the media are both pulling on them and it is not an easy job. But there really seems to be trouble and I don't know if we can blame it all on the Cambridges....

I think we agree more than disagree, Rebecca. If we differ it's in how much WK, but more W, play into it. I think Jason has an insurmountable task if his employers won't cooperate. He *is* the PR expert, not them, and if I recall correctly when he was hired he was touted as a specialist in crisis management. He's starting to get one, and they should let him manage it!

royalfan-good to hear from you.I agree. I would add the thought- in view of recent polls (obviously some here have not read them),with William showing such popularity, he and Catherine have become targets from yet another direction.The thinking might be-since the Cambridges are seen as a strength and hope for the future of themonarchy, eliminate or discredit them and weaken the monarchy. Others may be seen more as a liabilitythan a strength and are discounted as a threat and/or have a PR machine working overtime, who paysthe wages if W&C's PR staff.anon 18:36I also think there are those who are ramping up their efforts to discredit and devalue W&C becausethe usual summer slack period is ending and it won't be as easy to spread the discord.

I think a lot of the frustration coming from the royal press reporters is their reluctance to be accepting of social media. Lets face it, the more social media is utilized, the greater the possibility of their jobs becoming redundant. Undoubtedly, Richard Palmer is great at what he does, but I sense his concern for his future.

I don't think Jason is the main problem since he is rather new and the machinery was already going in the wrong way. It takes time to get a ship back on the right track and I think that was what Jason was brought in to do.. I have seen some areas been bettered but some have just continued to deterioate (and to a level where I don't think William can be blamed, in more general day to day contact from the team). If William is stingy that wont help either and I think he was the one who pushed for the letter (which I feel they had a right to write). I think William sometimes can have rants about the media and wanting to cut them off, being really frustrated, and I think it's a part the PR people have to manage.. But I don't think William is stupid and gets in the way all the time... more when the cup floods over... But neither of us know. It could be that William and Kate have nothing to do with the screwups and the team is just incompetent, or William and Kate could be the most annoying clients in the world. The most likely version is somewhere in between.

Anon 02.58, I think you have a very good point. Palmer might have a good underlying point, but his tantrums are probably from the fact that he's tense. I can see why he can be a bit tense sometimes! He's working for a paper that isn't going very well for, in a time where magazines are getting less and less importance, covering (mostly) a couple that isn't seen much. I can understand if he's on edge! That doesn't mean that he mightn't have a point. I don't think it's as tense as he is insinuating, but many of his posts have been commented (a bit milder and half-jokingly) on by his collegues (other reporters, photographers etc) and they seem to think the same as him, if maybe not as much as him! So I think there IS a problem between the media and the PR departemnt. But I also think this is growing pains from social media. We have to remember, the Queen had to be persuaded very hard to accept the new medium of TV on the coronation and that was a success. Williams team are accepting the future and that will probably help alot, but I think that is hard for the more traditional media to handle and I think it's important for them to please the traditional media at the ssame time they "flirt" with the new media. But it's a hard balance.

Claudia, what exactly do you mean by the Cambridge narrative changing in the near future?

Rebecca, it seems to me that Princess Madeleine is partly responsible for the confusion, because she frequently changes course. Her husband had to speak up recently to explain their decisions. I was a bit concerned about their move to London, since she was unhappy there previously, but perhaps she will be more protected this time by her at home duties.

I think it comes down to promises, Rebecca. Promises made and perhaps not kept. On both sides even.

Palmer's The Express if I remember correctly, and the Express has a fairly robust website that's read internationally, so I don't think it's just print editions we're talking about here. And as we all know, clicks = revenue. If you're going along thinking "x" is going to happen, and it could generate "y" revenue, you might be a bit cranky if someone else gets your clicks first and you lose revenue. And apparently William's office announced an engagement for him on twitter but didn't advise the press. Again, I can see that, but they are also biting the hand that can feed them too.

I think that's part of it, and Madame bluhare, fortune teller and card reader, thinks that there's something else here that we don't know about. Unfortunately Madame bluhare cannot see all and tell all on this one because she's clueless!

I'm so glad you are aware what an upstanding correspondent Richard is. It never ceases to amaze me how the royals struggle with press relations, they are slow to learn at their own peril.

Also, Maggie - that is the best line I have seen from anyone about the situation with the Cambridges... "why are they senior royals when it comes to receiving benefit but not when it comes to doing work?" This is the frustration of many of us.

My first royal scandal was Princess Margaret in the 70's :) Yes, I'm aging myself! But W&K are heading for very choppy seas if they don't change course, make no mistake about it. You may not think it's right/fair/justified, but it is reality.

Just even using our discontent here on this blog is a small but fair barometer as we all seem to have sincere and vested interest in William and Kate, and their future.

As I have said more than once, they need to do something FAST. I assume William is relishing his building a family, nesting and flying rescues. But undergirding all that is public opinion, whether anyone likes it or not. I keep hoping that maybe Jamie Pinkerton will give William a fatherly call and encourage him to make better trenches on the front line and quickly.

Claudia I just have to say that you are so spit on! I have basically been reading YOU on two blogs and you are always so succinct in your words. Makes life easier for me ! I could not write as eloquently as you do; nor get my point across without becoming so verbose that all would scroll and scroll and scroll :)

All this because Catherine and William are having their "Malta Moment," as the Queen and the duke had.(although severely criticised at the time for leaving their children at home in England) That time never came again for HM and had to fortify them for many years to come. There were long trips together, but theywere surrounded by staff and admirers. I imagine very little personal time.

"If I had it to do over again..." a wish that cannot be granted; but one can pass knowledge to children andgrandchildren and hope at some point someone listens.

All this because William has seen first hand what a lifetime of waiting to fulfill a destiny looked like, even with many projects to help speed the time, and tooksteps to define his meaning, knowing the wait to be king will be a long one. (hopefully)And why the rush to Richard Palmer's defence? I have gone back over comments and cannot see his namementioned in any personal attack. I certainly did not have him in mind when I wrote my comment.anon 18:36

I think some would say they're having longer than the "Malta Moment" Anon 18:36 :) And of course the Queen was always notoriously frugal while the Cambridges have, shall we say, been less frugal.

I do think the Queen and the Prince of Wales are trying to give William space they did not have, and I do understand that. And I think Charles feels he has a lot to make up for with his sons and so gives them a long leash.

Your comments touch on a larger issue really. When someone runs for public office they choose that path, they understand that they will work on behalf of taxpayers in return for a salary - and sometimes housing - from the taxpayer. At the end of the term, they go back to their "normal" life.

Royal life is thrust upon someone and a lifetime of work and service is expected in return. It's a burden on the family and on the taxpayer! Many would say the institution of monarchy falls apart when you start peeling back layers and asking questions... as I've said, I believe we have changing times ahead!

I was reading though some of the posts here, and I think it's important to reiterate that people were expecting to be inspired by Kate. She's a beautiful, relatively intelligent and seemingly down-to-earth woman. And she - by the great fortune of falling in love with William - was given an opportunity in life to make a difference. But she hasn't, and it also doesn't seem like that's going to change. There's no doubt that she could be doing more but just chooses not to. Last year Kate barely did any charity appearances, and she only became sick from her pregnancy in August, so she had plenty of time before that. I don't want to create any comparisons with Diana, but even if you look at other current royals, it's clear they are out there doing good things and inspiring people.

Inspiration is really important. Good female role models are hard to come by these days, particularly with all these celebrities, etc. Just by Kate doing more appearances, she would be inspiring so many people.

I don't "hate on Kate" as some people put it. I was so excited for the royal wedding, the tours and engagements after that - I always followed what she did. But over the years she has become immensely disappointing.

Kate is a strong woman. She dictates what she does or doesn't do. So if that's the case, it's her choice not to do more engagements, which really means she has no, or little, interest in using her position to do good things. Everything you hear about her wanting to ease into royal life, focus on motherhood, not being a senior royal, etc, these are all excuses.

Because if you really, truly felt passionate about a cause you wouldn't just let it fall by the wayside like Kate has with so many of her patronages (which are few, might I add, considering she's been in the royal family nearly 5 years now). Obviously things like pregnancy and motherhood keep you busy, but Kate didn't do much charity work after George, and it's looking like she won't do much more now either. We'll see how the next year pans out.

But generally, I'm disappointed because Kate really is in a unique position and doesn't seem to care. And I know that because of what we know about her character. She's in control and mostly does what she likes. So following from that it's clear that if she's not doing something it's because she's chosen not to. No one is forcing her to limit her engagements. She's made that decision. That's the disappointing part.

Anon 2:09, I respect your opinion and I do believe that you "don't hate on Kate."

I will say this...Kate married a future king; a position from which there is no retirement. Her contribution to the monarchy cannot be summarized or dismissed when she is 33 years old, nor should it defined by the number of engagements she does while she has a baby and toddler at home. (And I cannot agree that she is "refusing" to do more).

The marital problems of the Queen's children rocked the monarchy during the 80's and 90's and it is amazing that things have turned around from one generation to the next. The contribution that she and William are making to the foundation of the institution is extremely important. While the Queen is alive and well, and Charles is waiting to be king, W&K have the opportunity to focus on these priorities. The Queen knows how quickly it can slip away...and IMO they have her full support. If she wanted them to be more active, I believe they would be...

Agree! Also we should all not forget that Charles is the next in line. He and Camilla should be the workers and focus. Yes in todays celebrity culture the media focus is on the young and pretty, but someone on this site or another went through what those third in line have historically done, and the expectations on William and Catherine are insane. The media focus is crazy, the fact that you have so many generations and numbers involved is crazy, it is not anything like it was for Elizabeth's first 20 years. Someone also" dared" bring up how often Elizabeth was gone from her children in her early years, this is true, William and Catherine would be crucified if they did anything similar.

Good to hear you here, Royalfan! I enjoy what you add to the comments section and to healthy debate. And I appreciate the respectful way you answered Anon 2:09. I appreciate your point of view as I also do the other posters' with differing opinions. You made some good points.

Hopefully I'm not going off-topic, but being a part of this blog (and reading a bunch of books on the royal family) has ultimately led me to the question, "Am I pro or con Monarchy" to which I honestly can't answer yet. Just when I think I've made up my mind, someone from the other side sways me. :)

I'm delighted to see you back royalfan, but not sure I can completely agree with you. Just because the queen will never retire and Charles isn't likely to (not having much time on the throne as it is) doesn't mean that William and Kate won't. In fact, although I won't be around to see it, I expect they will retire. Abdication is not the dirty word it once was, the connection between the monarch and the church (i.e. the sacred vow) may not take the same form with Charles, let alone William and Kate. William and Kate aren't showing a strong connection to royal duties and they are at an age where most people are fully established in their careers. I don't assume a life-time of royal duties for them.

As for the queen - I have never believed she asserts much control over her family. Just looking at their actions in the past, I think she lets them sort it out themselves. Edward chose a private career and only turned to royal duties when that failed - Andrew - well, enough said - a lot of bad judgment. Nothing I have read has ever led me to believe that the queen does much directing of family members. I also think too much is made of the failed marriages because royal duties seemed to have little to do with any of the failures. Differences in tastes but mostly Camilla was the main problem with Charles and Diana - and arguably that Diana was too young and emotional to understand how to deal with a man like Charles. Mark Phillips has done no better with marriage in his private life - he simply isn't a faithful husband and Sarah and Andrew were a troubled pair. I don't think staying home would have helped any of them (it might have made things worse) and I think William and Kate have had more time to develop their relationship than most of us do. Most of us aren't suggesting Kate work full-time, just a bit more. And maybe she will this autumn - I'm cautiously hopeful.My own feeling is the reason we see rising doubts on this blog and elsewhere comes from uncertainty. If we really had a clear perception of what William and Kate plan, I believe people would be more content. But there are announcments that don't go anywhere, abrupt changes in plans, interests that don't seem to get fully developed (such as William's early involvement with the homeless.) and absences from many traditional royal events. My feeling is that what we are seeing on this blog isn't at all a dislike of William and Kate but an enormous desire to see a prince and princess at work in a regular way - much as we do abroad. If there were more active young royals, it might not make such a difference - but there aren't. - and few care about Charles and Camilla because just they're "next". (And yes, I know William and Kate aren't next in queue - neither is Sofia.)

Having lost track of a comment that concerns me, I will have to reply here. It seemed amazing to me that Prince Harry, after the arduous life he has lived in Commonwealth countries for the past several months, should be accused of doing little! Very strange indeed. Apparently, embedded with military and rangers, he has not been entertaining us enough! Too bad. He has done some excellent work, and he's been highly praised for it. And he has given himself some important new perspectives on life in the 21st century, which can only be a huge benefit in the future.

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